don't be an idiom

Don’t Be an IdiomHow to say what you’re trying to say, without actually saying it.

“Tomaten auf den Augen haben”

Translation You have tomatoes in your eyes. (German)

Meaning You do not see what others see.*

*This refers to real objects, not abstract meanings.

“Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof.”

Translation I only understand the train station. (German)

Meaning I don’t understand a thing about what that person is saying.

? ?

Translation There’s no cow on the ice. (Swedish)

Meaning There’s no need to worry.

“Det är ingen ko på isen.”

“Det föll mellan stolarna.”

Translation It fell between chairs. (Swedish)

Meaning An excuse given when two people were supposed to do something, but neither did.

I wonder what’s for lunch...

“Słoń nastąpił ci na ucho?”

Translation Did an elephant stomp on your ear? (Slovak)

Meaning You have no ear for music.

“ชาติหนาตอนบาย ๆ.”

Translation One afternoon in your next incarnation. (Thai)

Meaning It’s never gonna happen.

*Kind of like “when pigs fly.”

“На воре и шапка горит”

Translation The thief has a burning hat. (Russian)

Meaning His uneasy conscience betrays itself.

“Хоть кол на голове теши.”

Translation You can sharpen an ax on top of his head.(Russian)

Meaning He is a very stubborn person.

“Empurrar com a barriga.”

Translation To push something with your belly. (Spanish)

Meaning To postpone an important responsibility.

There are more where those came from!

Do you have any favorite idioms from your own language?

Check out this video about 42 English idioms, presented by

Mental Floss!

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